Method of manufacturing metal products



Jan. 4, 1949. H. A. BRASSERT METHOD OF MANUFACTURING METAL PRODUCTS Original Filed May 14, 1943 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 4, 1949. H. A. BRASSERT METHOD OF MANUFACTURING METAL PRODUCTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 14, 1943 ndru- INVENTOR:

Patented Jan. 4, 1949 METEO!) OF MANUFACTURING METAL PRODUC Herman A. Brassert, Washington, Conn., assignoto H. A. Braosert & Co a corporaticn ot ll'llino s Original applicationltfiay 14, 1943, Serial No. 488.989. Divide& and'this applicationFeb-uary 15. 1945, Serial No. 67%,962

c (llama. (ot zaa- 189 Thistinvention relates to the manui'acture of' metal products and 'has particular ,reference to a continuous process for direct manuracture-o finished or semi-finished iron and steel products from iron oxides. The present application is a division of application Serial No. 486.989, filed May 14, 1943, now Patent No. 2383366.`

Iron and steel products are usually manufactured either by rolling, forglng, or extruding a billet of iron or steel initially formed from molten metal. or by assembling bars of wrought iron or soft steel to 'form a billet of the proper size 'and heating it to the proper temperature for rolling, forging, or extrusion to the 'desired finished or semi-finished shape. These processes are intermittent and involve substantial loss of'time' and heat as the result of transfer from one station to another. such products have also been produced by directly reducing finely-divided iron osides and compacting the reduced particles into a hillet which is then heated to the proper tempera= ture and rolled, forged, or extruded to the desired shape. This last-named process is discosed in Patent No. 2,252,697, issued August 19, 19 41, to applicant. and is admirably suited for producing relatlvely small-dlmensioned. products from correspondingly small` compacted billets or briquettes, but when large products or a plurality of small products are to be extruded from a single large billet, non-uniform products frequently ::e-- sult, because of the practical impossibility of compacting the reduced grains to the same degree throughout any' cross-section of a large compacted billet. This non-uniform denslty .in a large billet is probably due to the irregular shapes of the particles and consequent frlctlon between them during' compacting, which precludes uniform pres'sure throughout while they are being compacted, so that whereas the billet has a dense surface skin, the density gradually decreases toward the center or core oi' the billet.

Theoretically, this condition could be remedied either by incr'easing the temperature to the fusion point, or greatly increasing the compacting pressures, or both, but these expedients have proven impractical, owing to sticking of the particles to' the press when high temperatures are used, and also because the compacting pressures that are necessary to secure a homogeneous billet of large size are disproportionately high, re-' quiring animpractically large and powerful press.

In accordance with the present invention. a process is provided for continuously producing uniform iron and steel products in finished ,or semi-finished form from a large billet of uniiorm pany, New York. N. Y.,

denslty throughout, produced directly from flnely-divided iron oxides as a continuous process without material loss oi heat or time. 4

The invention comprises directly reducing fine- Zy-divided iron oxides at temperatures below,

to the extruding or rolling temperature, not only to prepare them for rollin'g or extrusion, but also to consolidate or weld the gralns together andto partially fuse the stacked briquettes to each other, and finally compressing. forging, rolling or extruding the resulting hot billet into the desired :llnishedor semi-finished product, all as a continuous process to conserve hea't and in a reduclng atmosphere to preclude reoxldation. Preferably the plate-likebriquettes are rolled to provide a corrugated transverse cross-section so that they will automatically fit together without disarrangement during' subsequent handling, heating, and rolling, forging or extrudlng process, and, if desired, transverse corrugations may also be provided to preclude endwise shiftlng of the platelike briquettes. Also compressing pr compacting in a press may precede orging or rolling or extrusion and in order to consolidate the material into a more solid, basic workable blank or billet.

It will be seen that the process of this invention provldesa very efiective and simple method of directly obtaining a large billet of substantially homogenous denslty, since the material constituting lt is in efl'ect compacted asseparate units .of the whole, with the result that when the prod-' 'uct is finished its grain structure is uniform throughout. not withstanding that it was formed initialiy of fine, discrete particles. In this way the economy of forming' finished or semi-fiinished products `from alarge billet is realized. By addition of modifying agents, such as alloying metals in flnely-divided form, carbon and the like, virtually any composition of the finished product to v provide desired physical properties may be obtained, these materials being admixed with the reduced material prior to briquettlng into the plate-like -bi'quettes described.

For a more complete understanding" of the-invention; reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partially schematic representadesignates a reducing furnace, prei'erably of the type utilizing the method in which iinely-divided oxides are reduced by preheated reducing gases below the temperature at which the particles 'agglomerate and frit together, and in which the reducing gas is supplied to the bottom of a bed of oxide under such conditions as' to impart to the bed a uid-like condition so that it flows along the hearth while being reduced. Methods and apparatus of this type are disclosed-in Patent- No. 2,371,619, issued March 20, 1945, to J. C. Hartley, Patent No. 2,316,664, issued April 13, 1943, to applicant' and J. C. Hartiey, or Patent No. 2,389,133, issued November 20, 1945, to applicant and C. F. Ramseyer, or Patent No. 2,404,944, issued July 30, 1946, to applicant. I J

The reduced finely-divided material dischargd by the furnace i'll through hopper ,li is supplied to briquetting rolls i 2 which are provided with parallel alternate ridges and depressions so arranged that the depressions in one of the rolls cooperates with a ridge in the other roll, so that the elongated rectangular plate'-like briquette B produced by the rolls !2 is corrugated transve'rsely as shown in Fig. 3. The dimensions of the briquettes B are determined by the size oi' the billet desired, and preierably is from one to three feet wide and two to six feet long, with a web thick= ness of from one-fourth to one inch. The rolls i2 have diameters and dimensionstmaccommodate the size of briquette desired and are provided with cooperating transverse cut-off rldges !3. `Prior to briquetting, the material may be further concentrated magnetically as described in Patent No. 2,28'7,663, or in copending application Serial No. 485,195. filed April 30, 1943, by applicacant, and the material is maintained in a reducing atmosphere so as to preclude reoxidation as is described in greater detail in said Patent No. 2,28'7,663. Also, briquetting is eifected immediately upon discharge of the material from the reducing furnace io so that the heat of reduction is retained and contributes to the eflective compacting of the particles into the platelike briquettes E.

The briquettes B are deposited by the briquetting rolls !2 upon a chute ll down which they slide to be discharged upon the platform !5 of a stackina apparatus generally designated I& and comprisingla series of such platforme il carried position so the platform I! is held flrmly and is supported so as to sustain the gradually increasing load of the briquttes as they accumulate thereon. The clains l'l move over the frame zl which holds the 'platforme steady in' the course between the upper sprocket and, the lower sprocket lil.

As shown invFig 2, the floor of each platform !B of the stacking apparatus IB. comprises spaced parallel cantilever bars Hi' providing longitudinal t slots 22 so as to permit passage of the cantilever bars 23' of the corresponding platform 23 of conveyor Et, which accordingly removes the stack of i plate-like brlquettes B from the platform Il on upon a driven belt or chain l'l moving in a vertical direction over upper sprocket s and lower sprocket iii, the latter being driven from a source of power, not shown. The rate of movement of the platforms IE is such as to permit the collection of a predetermined number oi' briquetts B upon each platform lil as it passes the chute ll. before the next succeeding platform i& moves opposite chute M for collecting an equal number of the briquettes The stacking apparatus I& may be of any form. the form shown serving merely to illustrate one type of apparatus which may be used for the purpose.

In the particular stacking machine s shown two chains l'i carry the platforme IE which have diagonal braces 20 engaging studs 20' on the chain ill when moving downwardly in 'a vertical which they are 'stacked in the manner described. The conveyor Mcomprises a pair of sprockets 25, one of which is visible in Fig. 1, over which pass chains 28, pivotally carrying the transfer platform 28, which are hel'd rigid horizontally by engagement withdetents 21 on chains 26 as the platforms 23 Swing into horizontal position to mesh with a corresponding stacklng platform IS.

Conveyor 24 is driven at a rate bi speed such as to remove and convey each stack oi' briquettes B from the corresponding stacking platform' !5 before the next succeeding platform approaches. The shaft 28 carrying the sprockets 25 of the conveyor 2 5 over which the chains 26 pass is fitted with a smaller sprocket 29' driven by chain 30 connected to sprocket 3! on the shaft 29 of the staching apparatus IS, or the conveyor 21 may be separately driven, if desired.

Conveyor 24 carries the stack of briquettes B into the mume or .other heating furnace 32, wherein the temperature of the stack of briquettes B is raised to the welding point whereby the particles constituting the individual briquettes iuse together and the briquettes also fuse together to a certain extent to form a relatively unitary structure or billet B', but the temperature is not sufliciently high to cause melting. so that the billet B' retains its shape. The billet B' so formed is conveyed directly by the conveyor 24 or othermeans into a conventional rolling mili 38, extruslon press, or other apparatus for forming the billet B? into-finished or'semi-flnished steel products. For example. the entire billet B' may be rolled or extruded into one finished shape or product, or it may be extruded through a multiple draw plate, or 'divided into a plurality of strands i'or forming the same into a plurality of like orunlike rods, wires, bars, or other shapes.

The corrugations 35 formed longitudinally of.

the briquette B provide for the accurate alignlarger, depending upon requirements. and the availability of heavy presses. course the briquettes are then proportionately larger and thicker.

It will be observed that the corrugations t and 36 serve to stifien and hence provide a relatively rlgid briquette, which is self-sustaining and will not break or shatter* when deposited upon chute it or platform i. The corrugations also serve to facilitate stacking and to increase the surface area oi' the briquettes to facilitate heating in the mufile 32 and consoiidation of the billet E' when the temperature thereof, reaches the welding point in muflie 32; Mechanical consolid'ation of the particles and briquettes constltutlng biilet B' may be efiected prior to roiling, extruding, or forging by passing the -billet B' through rolls or a forging hammer or press before feeding it into the fin ishing or semi-nishing apparatus 38. to which it is preferably fed in the direction of the length of the briquettes Originally constituting it, i. e., in the direction of the long ccrrugations 35 in Fig. 3, in order to have a somewhat elonsated gram structure.

As aforementioned, modifying agents, such as v alloying metals. carbon and the like #may headmixed with the reduced material discharged from furnace i@ into chute ii prior to briquetting, as

described in said Patent No. 2352967, so that when the extrusion, roliing, forging,` or other forming operation is efiected. the physicai and chemlcai characteristics oi' the finished material may be predetermined to provide the properties desired.

Although a preferred method is illustrated and described in connection with the drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereby but is susceptible of changes in form and detail within the scope of the appnded cmime.

I claim:

1. The method of making metal products. which consists in reducing metallic oxide material in a reducing zone below temperatures at which the material frits or aggiomerates compacting the reduced material in finely-divided form into seli'- sustaining plate-like briquettes while corrugating the same in `parallel reiation and separating the corrugated briquettes, assembling a plurality of said briquettes in superimposed flatwlse relation with their corrugations'interfltting, heating the superimposed 'briquettes to the weldi'ng point to at least partially weld the reduced material and briquettes together into a billet. and then deforming the billet while so heated into a metal product, the several steps being immediately successive in a continuous process. V

2. The method of making metal products, which consists in compacting the metal in finelydivided form into a plurality of self-sustaining piate-like briquettes of substantially uniorm size. assembling a predetermined number, of said-briquettes in superimposed flat-wise relation and registering their edges to form a stack of the desired dimensione, heating said stack to soften the form a finished or semi-finished metal product of* the desired dimensions.

3. The method of making metal products,

which consists in compacting the metal in finelydivided form into a plurality-of -self-sustainin plate-like briquettes of substantially uniform size, assembl'ing a predetermined number oi' said briquettes in superimposed fiat-wise relation and register-ing their edges to form a stack of the desired dimensions, heating said stack to soften the particles constituting' the briquettes to cause .them and the contacting briquettes to at least partially weld together into a substantially homogeneous billet. subdividing the -billet While so heated into a piurality of strands each 'including a portion oij each briquette constituting said original billet,

and then deforming each of said strands into a finished or semi-finished metal product of the desired dimension. p

4. The method of making metal products. which consists in co'mpacting the meta'in finelydivided form into a plurality of self-sustaining niste-like briquettes of substant'ialiy uniform size, slmultaneousiy forming complementary projecttions and recesses in the respective upper 'and lower surfaces of said briquettes, assembiing a predetermined number of said briquettes in superimposed flat-wise relat'ion and registering their compiementary projections and recesses to form a stack oi' the desired dimensione, heating said stack to soften the particles constitu'ting the briquettes to cau-se them and the contacting briquettes to at least partially weld together into 'a substantially' homogeneous billet, and then deforming said billet while so heated by -applying dimension-reducing pressure thereto in a direction substartiaily normal to the large area, of the ind ividual briquettes constituting said billet tojorm a finished or semi-finished metal product oi' the desired climensions.

5. The method of making metal products from a plurality of substantially like self-sustaining units composed of reduced metallic oxide particles, which consists in ihdiscriminately assembling a. predetermned quantity of said units, compacting said assembly of units into a self-sustaining billet of predetermined dimensions in which the reduced particles-are substan-tially uniformly 'distributed in mutual contact and substantially uniform density, and heating the =bi1let to soi'ten the Contacting particles and cause .them to at least partially weld together into a substantialy homo geneous finished or semi-finished metal product.

6. The method of making metal products from a plurality of substantially like self-sustaining units composed of reduced metallic oxide particies, which consists in indiscriminately as- `stantially uniformly distributed in mutual con- -tact and substantially' uniform density, heating the blllet to soften the contacting particles and cause them to at least partially weld together, and

particles constituting the briquettes to` cause 76 again compacting said billet while 'so heated into '7 a substanti-aly homogeneous 'finished or semifinished metal product.

HERMANA.BRASSERT;

REFERENCES cum) 5 1,510,745 Montgomery Oct. 7, 1924 1,930,287 Short Oct. 10, 1933 Numbei 2178529 2240971 2,252,697 2390334 2.299,192 &341.732

Name- Date Southgate ;'Nov. 2, 1937 Wellman Oct. 31, 1939 Calkins' Oct. 31, 1939 Wellman May 6, 1941 I Brassert Aug. 19, 1941 Brassert July 2 1, 1942 Tormyn Oct, 20, 1942 Marv'ln 1 Feb. 15, 1944 

